Longwood Parents Council

Parents Council

The Parents Council consists of parents and families who pledge to participate in Longwood activities for the good of the university and to contribute financially to fund Council activities aimed at student academic achievement, citizen leadership, and overall university enhancement.

The Council provides grant opportunities for students, student groups, faculty, and staff through an annual monetary gift of $500. These financial gifts are payable to the Longwood Parents Council fund and are controlled by the Council. Since its inception in 2009, the Longwood Parents Council has contributed nearly $35,000 to the community through the grants process.

In addition to the grants process, the Council meets three times per year in January, April, and September. They organize summer send offs for new students and families, assist with checking in families for Family Weekend, and participate in the annual Parents Meeting which occurs that same weekend.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Parents Council or for additional information, please contact the Office of First Year Experience & Family Programs at firstyear@longwood.edu.

Longwood University is a proud member of AHEPPP, the Association of Higher Education Parent and Family Program Professionals.

Parents Council Grants 2013-2014

Total grant money awarded: $11,129.18

TIPS: Training for Intervention Procedure

We wish to be supportive of this initiative to facilitate the training of staff facilitators and students about the prevention of drunken driving, intoxication, and alcohol abuse. The Council anticipates a large, direct benefit to the Longwood community. The sponsors expect to train 300 students each year, for 3 years. We fully fund the requested amount of $1800 with the hope that program success will encourage University support for any future resource needs.

Alternative Spring Break in the Dominican Republic

We wish to support this effort in providing an opportunity for about a dozen students to immerse themselves into a poor community of Haitian refugees living in the Dominican Republic to learn about new discriminatory laws and the plight. We fully fund the requested amount of $668.75 to cover 2 community events with the Haitian refugees (breakfast and dinner) and a speaker from an advocacy organization. We encourage that a planned photo journal be placed on the Longwood website for greater sharing of student experiences and consideration be given to offering a presentation to all students.

Mental Health and Well-Being Resources for Students

The Parents Council partially funds this grant proposal to provide new, up-to-date resources (books, DVDs, etc.) for Longwood’s Counseling Center that would help promote Counseling Center efforts, decrease stigma attached to mental health issues, and promote general wellness. The Council grant provides $1,327.57 to cover the purchase of resources that are stipulated in the grant proposal. As the grant proposal stated, each item purchased would be marked with a statement that funding was provided for the resource by the Parents Council.

Scaling Up

The Parents Council fully funds this grant proposal of $410 to support the establishment of a new student-focused professional organization on campus--A Longwood University chapter of the National Wildlife Society. The grant would cover the minimum cost to establish a chapter and it is anticipated that the chapter would be eligible for funding from the national organization in the future.

Unbound

Prince Edward County was one of five localities involved in the historically significant Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education, and in 1964, after another five years of litigation and a Supreme Court ruling in Griffin v. County School Board of Prince Edward, schools reopened in the fall of 1964. In 2014, the Longwood History and Art Departments and students are collaborating on a project with a visiting artist, to mark the 50th anniversary of the historic events (production of 50 limited edition books with one framed for an exhibition, and 12-15 pages framed and sold). The Parents Council partially funds this grant proposal, providing $1,000 for framing. Students will be involved with ordering, assembling, and completing the framed artwork and also the hanging of frames for the exhibition. Plans are that any proceeds from the sale of the framed art/books will be placed in a foundation account to support the Longwood University Short Twig Press, which will support future artists/writers for another limited edition publication planned for 2015.

Lancer Lunatics

The Parents Council partially funds this grant proposal in support of the Lancer Lunatics’ efforts to spread Lancer pride throughout the school. Last year’s inaugural effort with student support of Longwood’s Big South Conference game at Liberty led to being named the Conference Naismith Student Section of the Year. The Council grant provides up to $1,380.56 to cover transportation costs only. The Parents Council logo should be used to recognize Parent Council support.

Wetland Restoration at Hull Springs Farm

The Parents Council fully funds a $2000 grant to support a student-centered long-term monitoring of wetland restoration at Hulls Springs Farm, a Longwood University Foundation property. This large-scale project, with financial support of Longwood University and the Longwood University Foundation, will provide students of varying backgrounds (initially up to 31 students in the first year) an opportunity to get real life, hands-on research experience. The Parents Council grant is to assist with the purchase of field and laboratory equipment and supplies.

Ecuador Service Learning Project

The Parents Council provides $1000 to partially fund this grant proposal in support of the Department of Nursing’s mission to develop nurses who become citizen leaders for the promotion of healthcare. The Parent Council recognizes its support for the trip last year. An estimated 8-10 nursing students will travel to Ecuador to provide medical care and upon their return, they plan to offer presentations on their experiences. The Parents Council would like the grant funds to go towards the purchase of medicine and supplies.

Operation Smile

The Parents Council fully funds a $292.50 grant to support the first student chapter of Operation Smile (currently 29 members). The club is just forming and the grant is to cover the cost of bringing a speaker (medical volunteer from Operation Smile) to campus (open to all students) to discuss his/her experiences. The Parents Council logo should be used in all advertising to recognize Parent Council support.

Brock Commons

The Parents Council provides $1000 to partially fund this grant proposal in support of the LCVA’s Brock Commons Outdoor Sculpture Program. The objective is to bring two artists to campus to install large-scale outdoor sculptures. Over 100 students will be invited to assist with the selection of the artists, and the artists will present a lecture to the campus community. The Parents Council grant would be directed at offsetting the honorarium for one of the visiting sculptors. The Parents Council logo should be used in all advertising to recognize Parent Council support.

Climate Change

The Parents Council provides $250 to partially fund this grant proposal. The proposal is to help cover costs for the production of informational brochures and posters to improve awareness of climate change concerns and improved environmental actions at Longwood University. This effort is related to a broader GENED 162 course objective of civic engagement activities and exposing students to the scientific method in conducting research. As indicated by the partial funding, the Parents Council suggested that in lieu of the extensive quantities of brochures and posters, the participants consider greater use of the website to disseminate information and generate interest in their study results.

Parents Council Fall 2012

Parents Council Grants 2014-2015

The Longwood University Parents Council makes an annual gift of $500 which creates funding for the grants that are awarded each year in November. The council has made opportunities available for Longwood students, student groups, university departments, faculty and staff to be given funds for projects and services that will benefit the Longwood University and/or the community.

Apply for a Longwood Parents Council grant in November 2013! Grants up to $2000 will be awarded to proposals that benefit and enhance student life and learning at Longwood University.